Freeholders Oppose Governor Murphy’s Aid Cuts
To Hunterdon Schools
The Hunterdon County Freeholder Board recently took action to oppose Governor Phil Murphy’s school aid plan that cuts $2.1 million from the County’s schools, while increasing aid by hundreds of millions of dollars to many other schools throughout the state.
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Hunterdon County Freeholder Board Deputy Director John Lanza stated, “Hunterdon County students are just as deserving of the highest quality educational experience as their peers across the state.
We’re told there is a so-called formula that reduces our aid. But it sure looks like we’ve been targeted for political payback when 159 of the 197 school districts that are having their aid cut are in counties or municipalities that Governor Murphy did not carry in the 2017 election.”
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Lanza noted, “Governor Murphy’s education budget gives out over $200 million more in school aid to schools around the state, but cuts 19 Hunterdon County school districts by a total of $2.1 million. That is a significant cut for our school children, teachers, and property taxpayers.”
Lanza added, “Even more disturbing is the fact that the so-called formula calls for a school aid cut for Lakewood in Ocean County, but instead Lakewood, which Governor Murphy carried in the 2017 election, will receive a $15 million increase.”
The Freeholders’ resolution in opposition to the cuts notes, ‘the Governor’s proposed education cuts will likely drive up property taxes on already overburdened residents in Hunterdon County.’
The Freeholders have called for the Legislature to make a re-examination of the local effect of its policy decision including seeking information from local policy makers, Boards of Education, teachers and ultimately the students impacted by the proposed budget cuts.
Lanza concluded, “There is still time for the Legislature to take the target off the back of Hunterdon County’s schools and reverse the Murphy Administration’s bad public policy that punishes Hunterdon County’s teachers, homeowners, and school kids.”